Big Three at Hogwarts

Part 15

The day they were going to Hogsmead, everybody was buzzing, apparently, it was a big thing in Hogwarts. (what's with all the 'hog' things?).

Soon, they were there in the small town, apparently, it was an all-wizard town or something, Nico wasn't really listening to Hermione rant.

They hit up all the fun shops and loaded up on wizarding candy to share with the other demigods, they got some prank supplies for Conner and Travis, too.

Nico decided to wander by himself and soundlessly extricated himself from the rest of the group. Nobody saw him leave. He saw a lot of shops that might be interesting. It honestly reminded him of New Rome. The energy was happy and light-hearted. Nico loved it.

He was busy looking at a brightly clothed witch and accidentally slammed into someone.

"Sorry," Nico said instantly. A raspy laugh came back and Nico saw that the person he ran into was a tall, slim figure clad in a black cloak.

"It's fine, Nico." Came a high-pitched, disturbing voice.

"Do I know you?" He asked.

"You did. You should." The figure pulled up the hood and Nico saw a horrible face with no nose, discolored skin, and slitted, reptilian eyes. The grotesque image sent shivers down Nico's spine.

"Tom?" He asked. The thing laughed again.

"You do remember me, after all, you never did on the elevator." Nico didn't say anything, didn't know what to say. The Tom he knew was fun to be around and kind to him, but only him. As Nico remembered more about his childhood, he remembered Tom being cruel and cold. Never to Nico and it never bothered him that much. He was too young to realize what was happening.

"What happened?" He asked. The thing that used to be Tom laughed again.

"I beat death!" It exclaimed.

"You can't beat Thanatos. Sisyphus tried that and he got the Fields of Punishment." Tom hissed.

"So, I was right? You are a demigod?" He asked.

"Yes." He said, seeing no reason to hide it. Tom laughed.

"Your father put you in that orphanage for six months before taking you out. Tell me, who was he and where did he put you? You look so . . . young."

"My father is Hades, God of the Dead. I am the Ghost King and commander of the undead. I could kill you now. He put me in the Lotus Hotel and Casino. Time is distorted there, I was in there for seventy years, I think." Used-to-be-Tom laughed again.

"Did you bring Bianca here too?" He asked. Nico felt like he had been stabbed in the heart.

"She's dead." He stated. Tom looked at him, no remorse or pity in his eyes, just the ice that was always there, even when they were kids.

"I have an army, Nico, an army! I'm going to dominate this world and if you join me, we could rule together! I'm going to attack with my monsters in two days!" He said. Nico took a step back.

"I was tempted to join the wrong side once before but I won't again, I'm here to help the wizards and I brought more demigods. The most powerful of this age!" Tom hissed disdainfully.

"You're making a mistake." He said, expression hardening.

"No." Nico said firmly, taking another step back, "No, I'm not. I will beat you!" He pulled out his sword and swiped Tom but he wasn't there anymore. Nico took a shaky breath and put away his sword. He stood there for who knows how long until the other demigods found him.